November 15, 2007 (Vol. 27, No. 20)
URL:
http://gibk26.bse.kyutech.ac.jp/jouhou/pronit/pronit.html
Rating:
Strong Points: Ease of use, usefulness of info
Weak Points: None
Summary:
Finding useful thermodynamic information of interest to molecular biologists is not particularly easy. Over the 11 years I’ve done the column, I’ve only come across a handful of such sites. I’m happy to have identified a new one in ProNIT, whose thermodynamic data for protein-DNA interactions is “very useful for understanding the principles of molecular recognition.” Indeed it is, and indeed, this is an awesome collection of info. Visitors can locate desired information via either a simple or an advanced search engine. I found the advanced engine to be actually easier to use. Returned records include extensive basic protein information as well as thermodynamic information regarding binding and other parameters. Easily the most useful thermodynamic site I’ve seen for molecular biology.